ULM junior tight end Harley Scioneaux is humble enough to admit that sophomore tight end Alec Osborne does certain things better than him.

However, with the Warhawks experimenting with their offense due in large part to the graduation of four-year starting quarterback Kolton Browning, Scioneaux knows he has some advantages too — especially with his 6-5 frame and about 20 pounds heavier than Osborne.

"He brings things to the table I can't bring, and I can bring things to the table that he can't bring," Scioneaux said. "It's the recipe of a good team. We bring something different to the table, and I think this year the way the offense is working, there's things we're going to do never seen before."

Scioneaux said Osborne's strengths include his speed and when asked if he really is faster, Scioneaux said, 'Oh yeah, he'd hit the goal line before I hit the 50," with a laugh.

The one thing both players do have in common is their quick hands, which has been shown off in fall scrimmages. It adds new weapons and different options for new quarterback Pete Thomas, who is known to have the ball shoot quickly out of his hands as well.

"This year coach told us he's going to use a two-tight end package at times," Osborne said. "It's going to help the running game for sure, as well as the passing game. I can't explain to you how much better I've gotten as a player knowing every day I've got to come out here, and I've got to give it my all because I know Harley and Nick (Jones) are doing the same thing.

"I know it's clique, but competitions makes everyone better. I've grown so much in the last year."

Tight end is the only position on offense that did not change on the depth chart since spring. Osborne is No. 1 with Scioneaux listed as No. 2 and redshirt freshman Nick Jones as No. 3, but all three are expected to contribute this season.

"From a maturity standpoint, there is a transformation that happens, but physically there's also this kind of metamorphosis that happens emotionally," ULM head coach Todd Berry said. "There's a confidence that comes with being older. I don't care what walk of life you're in or what sport you play, when you're playing with more mature players that have been through all the adversities and overcome and they're still around, they have a different stride."

Scioneaux is the only one of the three with touchdowns to his name. In fact, his first three catches as a college player were for touchdowns, including two at Auburn in 2012 when the Warhawks nearly knocked off the SEC school before losing in overtime.

The tight end finished his redshirt season with four catches for 16 yards, but the year was cut short when Scioneaux was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He missed the following spring as he finished up chemotherapy, but was able to return to Monroe at the end of the final spring practice to announce to the team that he was back after being declared in remission.

At times, the junior still has pain during practice, and Osborne knows when he has to step up in a different way. Osborne takes the rep for Scioneaux and knows being a friend is better — and more permanent — than being a competitor for a starting job.

On the field, though, all three seem reliable when it comes to making a play, and that doesn't always mean catching the ball. The complexity of the offense will also count on the tight ends for extra blocking on the line, among other responsibilities, and they are embracing it with open arms.

"I think the coaches like it too because they throw something new at us every day," Scioneaux said. "We took it on the run, and I think we even shocked them at how fast we picked it up. We wanted to show them what we can do, and it's going to be exciting. I know the running backs are excited about it too because they're going to have some huge gains, and I like to think we have something to do with that."